


The Elise Trilogy

by AssassinEnigma



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arno Dorian - Freeform, Assassin's Creed Unity - Freeform, Assassins, Elise de la Serre (Master Assassin), F/M, Templars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25832266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssassinEnigma/pseuds/AssassinEnigma
Summary: After the events of Assassin's Creed: Unity, Elise de la Serre survived, and married Arno Dorian. She was later banished from the Templar Order for associating herself with an Assassin. Arno ultimately took Elise under his wing and trained her in the ways of the Assassins.
Relationships: Arno Dorian/Élise de la Serre
Kudos: 4





	1. Journey to London

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is the first major Assassin's Creed story I ever wrote after beating AC Unity for the second time. This story was written three years ago.

****

France was being torn apart by civil war. A nation once proud and righteous has fallen into chaos. In the thick of the battle, three factions wage war. On one side, a radical faction of the Parisian Templars, led by Francois Thomas Germain, sowed the seeds of revolution. On another, the Parisian Rite of the Templar Order, once led proudly by the Grand Master, Francois de la Serre, being led by his daughter, Elise. Along with the Assassin Order, who were fighting against the radical Templars, whilst feuding with the French Rite over potential unification of the two factions. Germain and his radical Templars were ultimately defeated by Elise de la Serre and the Assassin Arno Dorian in 1794. In the battle with Germain, the blast from the Sword of Eden shot Elise into a pillar, rendering her unconscious. Believing she was dead, Arno took her body out of the Temple Vault and took her to a morgue, and mourned in Franciade for four days. After those four days, word reached Arno that Elise was alive. Arno rushed back to Paris to find his love alive and breathing. Over the next few months, Arno nursed her back to health. The next year, Elise was banished from the Templar Order, for treason against her Order. Arno took her under his wing and trained her in the ways of the Assassins, much to some of the council's chagrin. Elise became a Master Assassin when she became thirty, and was informed of a possible lead on a Piece of Eden in London.

****

* * *

****

Elise de la Serre approached a table in the main chamber of the headquarters, removed her Hidden Blade bracer, and set it on the table. Her bracer was light brown in color with a golden inlay of the insignia of the French Assassin. She lifted her black robe up to the chair, and sat down at the relatively high chair. She had a difficult time trying to find the mechanism that sprung the blade out. The candle at the left hand side of the table flickered. After a few minutes of fidgeting at the base of the blade, the blade sprung out, scaring Elise a little bit. She began to sharpen her blade until a hand grabbed her left shoulder.

 ****

"Elise, I..." the voice was about to say when she jolted around, to see the face of her husband, Arno Dorian.

 ****

"Arno! You've got to stop doing that!" Elise said, with a raised voice. "You wanted to speak to me?"

 ****

"Yes, I still want to." Arno responded. Elise listened attentively. "I have received word from the council that we have a lead on a Piece of Eden. The only downside to it is that it is in London. The council has tasked you with going to London to investigate this lead." His purple and gold robes glimmered in the light. Elise thought he looked incredibly handsome in his robes.

 ****

Elise grabbed her bracer and strapped it on to her left forearm, unsheathed her blade, and sheathed it back.

 ****

"I will do it. That much I promise, Arno."

 ****

"Excellent." Arno replied, "I will let the council know immediately. I will escort you to Cherbourg tomorrow. But from there, you will have to take a ship to London. I will see you tomorrow morning my love."

 ****

Elise nodded her head and went back to her bedroom. She unbuttoned her overcoat and hung it up on the back of the door, which she later closed. Elise sat on her bed and laid down, closing her eyes to rest for her trip to London in the morning.

****

* * *

****

Elise awoke to the sound of her husband's voice. Elise awoke, and groggily put on her overcoat. She yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Elise walked through the headquarters rather quickly, and made her way up to the Cafe Theatre. Elise briefly looked around the quiet Cafe for her husband, not seeing him at first.

 ****

 _Must've went to look for a carriage. I guess I'll wait outside,_ she thought, as Arno stopped in front of the Cafe with a carriage. Elise placed her hand on her hip, and smiled.

 ****

"Hurry, Elise! Cherbourg awaits!"

 ****

Elise hopped onto the carriage beside her husband, planting a kiss on his cheek. Arno returned a quick peck on her cheek, snapped on the reins, and the two went off to Cherbourg.

****

* * *

****

The bumpy ride came to a stop at Cherbourg harbour, with the sunrise breaking over the tranquil waters. Arno and Elise hopped off the carriage and walked towards the ship Elise was to board. The captain of the ship staggered out, looking like he just woke up. Elise could tell he was clearly drunk.

 ****

"Excuse me, sir, are you heading to London?" Elise asked politely.

 ****

"Yes, what's it to you?" The captain replied, with a harsh tone, sipping out of his beer.

 ****

"There is business that needs to be taken care of in London, and she needs a ship to get there." Arno interjected. "Are you able to do that?"

 ****

The captain looked towards Arno, then back to Elise. "Alright, princess, it will cost ya." Elise was offended by the _princess_ comment. "Two Thousand Francs." Arno quickly reached for his belt and gently tossed a money sack at the captain.

 ****

"Keep whatever's in there, and get her to London." Arno ordered. The captain smiled snidely after receiving the money.

 ****

Elise smiled at Arno, and the two shared a quick kiss before Elise boarded the ship. The captain offered to take her hand sarcastically, but Elise ignored him and walked on board the ship and made herself comfortable down below in her quarters while Arno went back to his carriage and began his trek back to Paris.

****

* * *

****

Elise walked up from her quarters in the lower deck onto the main deck of the ship, the breeze of the English Channel blowing through her long red hair. She approached the captain and joined him at the helm.

 ****

"Ah, the Cliffs of Dover. Not too far away from London." Elise said, with a smile.

 ****

The captain looked at her, and then looked down at her robes.

 ****

"What's with your robes and this business in London of yours?" He asked, with a gruff tone, sipping out of the bottle.

 ****

"It is a matter you mustn't concern yourself with." Elise replied, with a smile. "Trust me."

 ****

"Whatever, aye. Figured I'd ask. Please head down to your quarters and I will let you know when we reach London."

 ****

Elise obeyed his order, and went back into her quarters. She placed her sword and bracer on the table, and undid her weapon belt and placed it on the same table. She hopped into her bed and laid down. She wasn't sure if she was going to succeed or fail this mission. Elise became consumed by tiredness and she drifted off to sleep.

****

* * *

****

A knock came upon her door in the early morning.

 ****

"Madame, we have arrived in the beautiful city of London!" The captain announced, happier than he was before.

 ****

Elise rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, yawned, and got out of bed. She strapped on her weapon belt, placed her pistol in its holster, and cutlass in her scabbard. Elise opened her door and accompanied the captain to the deck of the ship. All Elise could smell was rain.

 ****

The city of London gave off a gaunt vibe as soon as Elise laid eyes on it. The last time Elise was in London was in 1788, and that was when she was a Templar, looking for the letters of Haytham Kenway. Now she has returned as an Assassin, ten years later, to investigate a lead on a Piece of Eden.

 ****

Elise put her hood up to protect her hair from the rain. As soon as she did, she was approached by an individual who looked like he was expecting her. He hurried up to her.

 ****

"Elise de la Serre?" He asked.

 ****

"Yes." Elise responded.

 ****

"You must follow me to the headquarters." The associate replied. "This way."

 ****

Elise followed the associate through the city. Elise observed the lack of life in the streets, and the amount of crime being committed. _Who the hell could be behind this_ , Elise thought to herself. The pair walked up to the Great Fire of London Monument's base, and the associate activated a mechanism. The door opened, and allowed Elise to pass. Elise walked down a long flight of stairs, lit by torches, until she entered a large room. The room lit up in a quick flash. A hooded figure looked down upon the hooded Elise.

 ****

"Elise de la Serre, is that really you?"

****

* * *

****

"Hello there, my name is Leonard Frye, one of very few Assassins here in London." Leonard stated, shaking Elise's hand." I believe you were sent by Arno Dorian of the French Brotherhood?"

 ****

"Yes, he is my husband." Elise responded, with a smile.

 ****

"Good, good." Leonard replied, sitting down at his desk.. "London has been under Templar hands ever since the great Edward Kenway died. Their rule is so treacherous, the British Assassins have stayed away for over sixty years, and I want to change that."

 ****

"How did you end up here in London if the Assassins here in Britain were staying away?" Elise asked, sounding confused.

 ****

"You see Elise, someone has to let the Assassins in Crawley know about the happenings here in London." Leonard replied happily. "I was chosen by my peers to take this position, and here I am."

 ****

"Do you know who leads the Templars here in London?" Elise asked.

 ****

"The ruthless Carroll family. They will stop at nothing to get what is theirs." Leonard piped in.

 ****

The Carrolls. Elise's bitter enemy from when she was a Templar. The family that meddled in Elise's quest to hunt for Bernard Ruddock ten years ago. Leonard was right. They were ruthless, cruel, and one could say savage.

 ****

"Arno took a huge risk in sending you. It also doesn't help that they are after you here. They will do everything in their power to cut you down, Elise." Leonard stated, and he placed a wanted poster on the table.

 ****

Elise scoffed, and picked up the wanted poster.

 ****

"Wanted, Dead. Elise de la Serre, the Templar Turncoat. One Hundred Thousand shillings for her head." Elise read, and let out a short sigh. "They are still after me?"

 ****

"It looks as so." Leonard stated, as he took the poster from Elise. "My spies around the city have picked up word that Peter Carroll, the Grand Master, has information on the Piece of Eden, but to get to him, you must kill his two goons. They also gave me their names."

 ****

"Who are his two goons?" Elise asked.

 ****

Leonard nodded his head and cleared his throat.

 ****

"They are twins, who go by the names of Alfred and Cornelius Starrick. My spies tell me that they live here in the city, and that Alfred is on his way to a secret meeting over by St. Paul's Church. I have arranged a carriage for you to go there." Leonard replied. "Remain unseen."

 ****

Elise turned around and flashed a smile.

 ****

"I plan to." She said, with a wink.

****

* * *

****

Elise opened the door of her carriage, and stepped out. The nighttime fog was almost suffocating her. St. Paul's Cathedral dominated central London, looming stories higher than Elise. Elise ran up to the wall and began climbing up the westernmost wall. Heaving herself up, Elise stood up and flicked out her hidden blade, and flicked it back in, to see if it still works. She began to walk along the left side of the cathedral roof until she approached an open courtyard, where she saw several Templars having a discussion. Elise quickly hid behind a wall, and eavesdropped on the discussion.

 ****

"Do you have any whereabouts on the Shroud, Alfred?" The first Templar asked.

 ****

"Mr. Carroll will be most displeased, but I haven't found it yet." Alfred stated.

 ****

"So you mean to say you haven't found it yet? That's disappointing." The second Templar piped in. "I will report this to Mr. Carroll at his manor."

 ****

"I will continue my search here in London, that much I promise." Alfred replied.

 ****

Elise heard all she needed. _I can't let you continue your search, Mr. Starrick._ Elise thought, as she took a smoke bomb, ignited it and tossed it at the group of Templars. The Templars got lost in the smoke as Elise struck from above. Her hidden blade sunk into Alfred's throat, and her cutlass in her right hand swiftly took care of the other two Templars. She pulled out a handkerchief out and dabbed it in Alfred's blood, showing that the deed was done. Elise turned her head, and cracked a half-smile. She began to climb the wall to get to the roof. Elise was gone by the time the smoke dissipated.

****

* * *

****

Peter Carroll was sitting in his study, smoking a cigar when one of his followers entered the room. Peter turned around in his chair to greet him. His evil eye met the Templar before him.

 ****

"Out with it." Peter muttered.

 ****

"Sir," the Templar began, clearing his throat. " it is with great remorse that my brother, Alfred Starrick was found dead in St. Paul's Cathedral this morning."

 ****

Peter looked up, a look of disgust came across his face. "Do they know the killer?"

 ****

"No, sir." The Templar replied. "The only thing witnesses saw was a woman in black with red hair wielding the blade of our enemies."

 ****

Peter paused for a few moments to think.

 ****

"De la Serre, Marie's killer. It's got to be her." Peter stated coolly. "Dorian's little lapdog is here for the information on the Shroud." He leaned back in his chair, and reached back for a stack of posters. The top one featured Elise portrayed as a prostitute.

 ****

"Let us ruin her reputation. Spew out these propaganda posters and spread them across town, and may she be out of our hair. I don't care how you do it. You know what to do Cornelius."

 ****

Cornelius grabbed the stack of posters, and bowed his head.

 ****

"Yes, sir."

 ****

Peter let out a deep sigh, and spun back around in his chair to face the window.

****

* * *

****

Elise walked into the main chamber, where Leonard was waiting for her. Elise smiled upon seeing Leonard.

 ****

"Elise, I trust that it was a success?" He said, as he gave her another smoke bomb.

 ****

"Yes it was." Elise responded, as she caught Leonard's smoke bomb.

 ****

"Excellent, that's one less of Carroll's goons in this city." He stated. "While you were resting, Carroll initiated a smear campaign against you." He placed another poster on the table, this one a lot different. Elise scoffed when she saw what was on the poster. The poster bore a painting of a bare breasted Elise with some text underneath, which made her blood boil when she read it.

 ****

"Arrest this harlot! End her days of crime in the streets of London. One hundred Fifty thousand shilling reward!" Elise scoffed at this, and nodded her head in disgust.

 ****

"Trying to ruin me and my family's name." Elise muttered under her breath, enough for Leonard to hear. "Of course they would. Also upping the ante for my capture."

 ****

"That is what it looks like." He responded. "Trying to rid London of you so they can continue their tyranny over London."

 ****

"Do you know who makes these posters?" Elise asked.

 ****

Leonard looked at the poster, and spied initials at the bottom of the poster.

 ****

"Looks like a Cornelius Starrick work. With help of Carroll. Cornelius makes Carroll propaganda and on top of that, is Carroll's lapdog. Kill him and you will be led straight to Carroll."

 ****

"Looks like I have my next target." Elise replied.

 ****

"Yes, but for now, you must rest. I will look into his whereabouts." Leonard promised. "See you tomorrow morning, Elise.

 ****

Elise nodded her head, and went to her quarters. She stripped out of her Assassin robes, hanging them up on the hangers by her nightstand. She slid down her breeches, and folded them on the bed stand, only wearing her blouse and underwear. She crawled into the comfortable bed. As her head hit the pillow, she let tiredness consume her.

****

* * *

****

Elise awoke early in the morning, put on her Assassin robes, and put on her breeches. Elise fastened her belts and scabbard around her waist. She grabbed her weaponry, which was on the desk in her room. After letting out a deep breath, she opened the door, and met Leonard in the main chamber, where he was waiting with a smile.

 ****

"Good morning, Elise." Leonard greeted her. "I have some news that you will be eager to hear."

 ****

Elise smiled and hugged Leonard.

 ****

"What is this news?" Elise asked, placing her hands on the table.

 ****

"The whereabouts of Cornelius Starrick. It's barely morning and he is out and about spewing Carroll propaganda. One of my spies has reported that he is in the district of Whitechapel. If you hurry, you can still catch him. I have a carriage waiting outside for you, it will take you there when you are ready."

 ****

"Thank you so much, Leonard, I will see that the deed will be done." Elise replied, as she walked up the staircase.

 ****

Leonard nodded his head in approval as she disappeared from his sight.

****

* * *

****

Elise arrived in the bleak and desolate Whitechapel borough. The clouds were a gloomy grey, and hung over the borough. Elise found it to be rather depressing. She found a propaganda poster posted on the wall of a dilapidated building. She approached it and tore it down.

 ****

"He is nearby. Perhaps I should head up to the roof." Elise muttered to herself. "Can see a lot more from up there anyway."

 ****

She began to climb up to the roof, and as she got up to the roof, she heard a voice.

 ****

"Stay here, Robert, I am going to put this poster up here."

 ****

 _Cornelius Starrick_ , Elise thought to herself, I have you now.

 ****

Elise knew that this was her opportunity, so she sprung into action. She leap down from the roof and landed on Cornelius, with her hidden blade at his throat.

 ****

"Unhand me, harlot!" Cornelius shouted at Elise.

 ****

"Where is your boss?" Elise asked, inching her blade at his throat.

 ****

"In his Manor out in Cotswold! You'll find him there! You will need the key to enter!" He said, panicking.

 ****

"Thank you." Elise said politely. As soon as Cornelius got up, he shouted at the top of his lungs:

 ****

"I HAVE FOUND THE HARLOT..."

 ****

Elise quickly silenced him with her hidden blade. After looting his body, Elise discovered the key to the Manor's secret entrance, and a letter which stated Carroll's plan to demean Elise.

 ****

"Thank you, Cornelius, for leading me straight to Mr. Carroll." Elise whispered, before swiping his wound with her handkerchief. She saw some Templars approaching, looking for Cornelius. Elise quickly grabbed a smoke bomb and tossed it towards them. The men lost their sight in the thick smoke, and at the same time, lost Elise.

****

* * *

****

Elise met up with Leonard, who was in the main chamber, and presented him with the bloodstained handkerchief. He looked at it and looked back up at Elise, smiling.

 ****

"Excellent work, my lady." He said with a smile. "All that is left is Carroll." He handed her another handkerchief.

 ****

"It will be done." Elise replied, with a nod of her head. "That much I promise." She then walked outside, where a carriage was awaiting her.

 ****

"I will follow suit if you need any assistance, for I will try to remain out of sight." Leonard told Elise. Elise nodded her head, and went to look for the carriage that will take her to the manor.

 ****

Elise hopped into the carriage that was to lead her to Carroll Manor. The driver was suspicious of Elise's look and began to question her.

 ****

"Who are you girl, and why are you going to the manor?" He asked suspiciously.

 ****

"My name is Annabelle Scott." Elise responded. "I have business to attend to at the manor with Mr. Carroll. It is about sponsoring my Father's linen company. He's been waiting for me for quite some time." Elise noticed that the driver was wearing a Templar pin. Elise readied her hidden blade.

 ****

"Very well, girl. We are here..." he finished before Elise's blade met his throat.

 ****

"Don't call me girl ever again." Elise muttered.

****

* * *

****

Elise leaped over the wall, and found the manor grounds suspiciously empty. The manor itself gave off a haunting vibe that even got on Elise's nerves, with a thick fog hanging over the grounds. Through the thick fog, Elise hurried down the hill to the left side of the manor, and opened a door on the east side, thanks to the key she picked up from Cornelius. She found the hidden passage Cornelius spoke of and accessed the second floor. After ascending the stairs to the second level of the manor quietly, alerting no one. Elise found Peter's study, and he knew of her presence in the room as soon as she entered. Elise crossed her arms and smiled sarcastically as he began to speak.

 ****

"De la Serre. The woman who killed my daughter, is back to finish the job, except wearing the enemy's robes." He greeted Elise, a cold tone in his voice. "Have you not learned anything, you pathetic numpty?"

 ****

Elise scoffed at Carroll's comments.

 ****

"Oh, Peter, Peter, Peter. Didn't you know? You were always my enemy. Doesn't matter what robes I wear. I was informed that you have information on the Shroud of Eden. Care to tell me?"

 ****

Peter let out a huge laugh. "Never. Not to scum like you, French pig. The British Assassins are so pathetic that they rely on the French to do their dirty work." He pulled out his sword. "I'm going to end you Elise. In honour of my daughter."

 ****

Elise responded by pulling out her cutlass. The two combatants charged at each other and engaged in combat.

 ****

"What good is the Shroud to you, Elise?" Peter asked. "Are you going to use it to bring back your father, or your mother? He slapped Elise away, knocking her to the ground. Elise quickly got back up and the pair locked swords once again.

 ****

"To prevent you from extending your reign over London!" Elise shouted in return. "The Pieces of Eden were never meant to be in Templar hands!"

 ****

"That's pretty rich, coming from a Templar family." Peter bellowed, as he let out another loud laugh, and shoved her beside the doorway. Elise regained her footing and froze. A pistol was firmly propped against the back of her head.

 ****

"I'm going to enjoy taking my own bounty." A female voice said from behind her. Elise recognized the voice as Maria Carroll, Peter's wife.

 ****

"Now, Madam de la Serre." Peter said, walking from side to side. "Tell me this. You were supposed to follow in you pathetic father's footsteps, but you chose to follow your idiotic husbands band of killers..."

 ****

"We Assassins kill men like you, who threaten the way people live their life! You are a menace to society, and have no RIGHT walking in this world anymore!" Elise shouted back, nearly in tears.

 ****

As Elise spoke those words, Peter was loading his pistol.

 ****

"Just by saying those words, calling yourself one of them. I'm going to do what I should have done a long time time ago. I'm going to kill you."

 ****

Elise felt a lump build up in her throat. Peter pointed his pistol in the direction of Elise and Maria. Sensing her life was in danger, Elise knocked the pistol out of Maria's hands, and hid behind her. The bullet hit Maria in the heart. Her body fell onto the desk, and then the ground, dead.

 ****

Elise unsheathed her hidden blade, leaped up on the desk, ready to plunge it into Peter's heart. But Peter had other ideas, as he shot Elise in the left arm. Elise clutched her arm in pain as she fell to the ground, blood pouring out of her wound, staining her black robes red. Peter approached Elise, with his loaded pistol pressed up against Elise's forehead.

 ****

"Now I will end you, Elise de la Serre. For Alfred, for Cornelius, for my daughter, and for my wife. Your interference in my plans of acquiring the Shroud won't matter, as you won't be alive to stop me. Good riddance, you pathetic frog."

 ****

Elise grabbed Peter's left arm, and the pistol was shot beside Elise's head, missing her. Elise then found the strength in her wounded arm to stab Peter Carroll in the jugular, ending his life in a spray of blood.

 ****

His body fell lifeless to the ground, dead. Elise couldn't make it to her knees because of the pain she was in. She dabbed her handkerchief in both Peter and Maria's wounds, showing that she was successful in her mission. She found the strength to get to her knees, and crawl to a hidden safe in the ground. She picked up the password off Peter's body. She then opened the safe to reveal Peter's research on the Shroud of Eden. Leonard Frye walked into the room, witnessing Elise covered in blood and two dead bodies around her.

 ****

"Madame de la Serre, are you alright? What happened in here?" He questioned.

 ****

"I avenged what was said about my family and I acquired vital information on the Shroud of Eden for your brotherhood." Elise responded between pants. "Take this." Elise handed him the papers. Leonard took them from her.

 ****

"Is your arm alright? It looks painful." Leonard asked. "Would you like me to assist you back to my carriage?"

 ****

Elise was short on breath. "Please, yes." Leonard came up to her and picked her up in his arms. Upon exiting the manor, he placed Elise in the back of the carriage. While the trek to London was being made, Elise passed out from the pain of her wounds.

****

* * *

****

Elise woke up two days later in London, the pain from her wound subsiding. Leonard and a few of his associates were standing around Elise's bedside.

 ****

"A Carroll free new year! Thanks to this brave and courageous young woman!" Leonard shouted with glee. Elise watched as Leonard and his associates exchanged toasts. Elise looked down at her wound, which was bandaged up, and then back at Leonard. She flashed him a smile and hugged him.

 ****

"Happy New Year, Leonard. Thank you for all of your help." Elise replied, as she hugged him while sitting in her bed. Leonard couldn't help but blush when Elise hugged him.

 ****

"Your robes are over here, Elise. Change when you are ready. Your ship back to Cherbourg will be ready to leave this afternoon." Leonard said as he left the room.

 ****

Elise smiled, nodded her head, and got herself dressed. She grabbed a cloth to wipe off the dried blood on her hidden blade, left the headquarters after bidding her farewells to Leonard's allies, and set off for the pier.

****

* * *

****

Leonard was standing on the dock, next to the ship Elise was to board. Luckily, it wasn't the same captain that got her here. The sun was just rising above the horizon when Elise arrived. Leonard and Elise exchanged a hug.

 ****

"Thank you for your help, Madame de la Serre. You have helped the British Assassins achieve a large victory, but not enough to dethrone the Templar clutches over London." Leonard stated.

 ****

"In time, you will." Elise replied, with confidence. "What will you do now?"

 ****

"I will ask for aid from the council." Leonard returned. "And if they refuse to help me, I may have to find oppressed citizens and recruit them to our cause. I will keep the information on the Shroud safe with me, and continue the search for it. With the Carroll family gone, whoever steps in their place will be just as treacherous, and will stop at nothing to get that information."

 ****

Elise smiled at him and winked.

 ****

"If you ever need help, France will always lend a helping hand."

 ****

"Thank you again, Madame." Leonard smiled, as Elise boarded the ship. "For everything."

 ****

Elise blew Leonard a kiss and waved from the deck of the ship. As he faded off into the distance, Elise's journey to France had begun, without the Carroll family on her tail, and a much more tolerable captain, the trip back to France will be more peaceful.

 ****

 **  
**

**  
**


	2. Elise's Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elise returns to Paris and is immediately thrust back into action with the order to hunt down a group that has been slandering her family name. Along the way, she gets into a little bit of trouble...

The morning sun shined through the windows of Cafe Theatre, illuminating the elegant inside the building. Inside, Master Assassin Arno Dorian sat, sipping on a small cup of coffee, awaiting the arrival of his wife, the Master Assassin Elise de la Serre. Elise was sent to London to investigate a lead on a mysterious Piece of Eden, known as a Shroud. Elise wasn't successful in finding the Shroud, but she vanquished a lifelong enemy that slandered her family name, a family that went by the name of the Carrolls. She was due home from London in the morning, and Arno was eager for her return. Every time a carriage rolled by, Arno would walk up to the window, hoping it would be his beloved wife. He continued to sip on his coffee and await her arrival.

A carriage rattled its way up to entrance of Cafe Theatre. Arno walked up to the entrance curiously.

"Carriage escorting Mademoiselle de la Serre from Cherbourg to Paris!" The chauffeur announced boldly.

Elise opened the door, blinded by the morning sun. Standing outside the carriage asking for her hand was her husband, Arno Dorian, with a large smile on his face. She took his hand and he helped her down to the ground. The couple exchanged a quick kiss before entering Cafe Theatre, and taking their seats. Elise sat down in her seat, her black robes blending in with her seat. Arno brought her a cup of coffee, and sat down, hands put together.

"Elise," he greeted, "so good to see you back here. Happy New Year."

"Good to see you too, Arno. Happy New Year." Elise said, with a smile, as she poured some sugar into her coffee and began to stir. "Do you wish to hear about my journey, or should I tell the Council?"

"Tell me first." Arno responded sternly, sipping on his coffee.

"The Piece of Eden is called the Shroud. I did not find it, however." Elise replied. "After taking the life of Peter Carroll, my lifelong enemy, I found out he was looking for the Shroud as well,but didn't find it. All his notes said was that the Shroud rested in London, but didn't state a location." Elise handed Arno his letters. Arno gazed at the letters momentarily, sipped from his cup of coffee, and looked up.

"Peter Carroll, as in the Peter Carroll who is Grand Master of the British Templars?" Arno asked. Elise nodded her head.

"Bring these letters to the Council tonight. Hopefully this will put a smile on Trenet's face. But, while you were away, these posters were propped all over Paris." Arno placed a poster on the table. Elise read the print on the poster, and nodded her head in disapproval. The poster was a striking resemblance to the posters she saw in London.

"More Templar propaganda. This isn't new to me." Elise muttered. "I must do something about this."

"Bring that up to Council as well, they'll have to approve it." Arno replied. "I will see you later tonight, love."

Elise nodded her head and followed Arno down into the Assassin headquarters. She returned to her quarters and laid down on her bed, and closed her eyes to have a quick nap.

* * *

Elise awoke from her nap, prepared to tell the council about her voyage to London, and what she learned while she was there. She grabbed Carroll's notes, and walked up a flight of stairs into the council room. In the room stood the Assassins Guiliaume Beylier, Sophie Trenet, and Herve Quemar, along with Arno. Trenet looked up from the table.

"Hello, Elise." She greeted. "Do you have any whereabouts on the Piece of Eden?"

Elise cleared her throat.

"I did not find the Piece of Eden, known as the Shroud. The only thing I can say I found are these notes, indicating that Peter Carroll was searching for the Shroud as well, and he didn't know where it was either." Elise replied, as she placed Carroll's notes on the table. Beylier looked at the notes and read them.

"Hmm. The Shroud has the power to heal even the gravest of wounds. It must be real powerful, especially if the Grand Master himself was looking for it." He stated sternly. "This must be kept out of Templar hands. I trust you told the Assassins in London to look for it, yes?"

Elise nodded her head.

"Good." Beylier said. He handed the notes to Quemar, who briefly read the notes, but didn't say anything.

"Then there is this." Elise added. She placed the Templar propaganda on the table. Trenet picked the poster up.

"What is this?" She asked.

"An attempt to slander my name and my family." Elise replied. "Arno told me that he found this posters hanging up around Paris while I was away. I've seen similar posters in London, while I was there. I want to look into this manner personally."

Beylier gave her a look of concern, and then took it back by looking at Trenet.

"There have been suspicious reports of Templar activity in Cour des Miracles, and several Assassins have seen posters featuring yourself barely clad." He stated. "Should we let her investigate, Sophie?"

Trenet paused, and then nodded her head.

"The Council tasks you, Elise de la Serre, to go to Cour des Miracles, to investigate the Templar activity in the district, and put an end to it. Report back to the council with your progress." Trenet stated, with a nod of her head.

Elise nodded. "Thank you, Mentor."

She then walked to her sleeping quarters, got herself undressed, and fell asleep in her comfortable bed, eager to begin her mission in the morning.

* * *

Elise arrived at Cour des Miracles just before noon. The air was acrid and reeked of putrefaction. Elise could hear rocks and what she believed were bones crunching under her boots. The sun was nowhere to be seen, as the sky was covered with grey clouds. To get a better look around the desolate district, Elise climbed the highest point in the district, and took a look around. Looking around, Elise saw a Templar thug assaulting a citizen. Elise performed a leap of faith and landed into the haystack. She got out of the haystack, and walked silently up to the thug. Elise flicked out her Hidden Blade and quickly stabbed the thug in the neck and approached the oppressed citizen.

"You better not be one of them! Stay away monster!" He shouted, backing away form her slowly. Elise held out her hands, showing that she was here to help.

"I am not. I'm here to help you." Elise replied. "Do you know about these posters?" Elise pointed at a nearby poster.

"Oh, those posters." He responded with a sigh. "A man who goes about in a fancy uniform is the man you seek. I don't know his name off by hand, but he is very secretive, but one man knows every nook and cranny of this district."

"Who is this man you speak of?" Elise asked, with a touch of curiosity.

"Donatien Alphonse Francois, Marquis de Sade knows this district like no one else." the citizen answered with a smile.

_Fuck. Not this guy again._

Elise let out a sigh. "Thank you. I will pay him a visit. But in the meantime, get yourself home or somewhere safe, and avoid the streets."

The citizen no longer feeling oppressed obeyed Elise's order and scurried away. Elise on the other hand, made her way towards de Sade's brothel.

* * *

Elise found de Sade's brothel inside a run down, crummy building. Elise entered the building, looking for de Sade. Navigating her way through the throngs of nude people and goats, she saw de Sade sitting on an elegant couch. She pushed some people aside and approached him.

"Monsieur de Sade, if I may have a word with you for a moment." Elise asked.

De Sade looked up.

"Elise, milady. Certainly." He replied as he ogled at Elise. "What is the matter that concerns you?"

"These posters. They are found all over the district. I was informed by a citizen that you knew who was behind the production of these posters." Elise responded, and handed him a poster. De Sade looked down at the poster, and then back up at Elise's chest. He then looked at Elise's buttocks.

"They got one thing right with the poster." He stated. "You have a large, beautiful bosom, and a shapely bottom." He began to reach for Elise's buttocks. Just as he placed his hands on her buttocks, she slapped his hands away. She crouched down to his eye level.

"Look at me. I would like to know who made these posters, and I would like to know. Now." Elise replied to his snide comment. "I was told you were the man who knew every nook and cranny of this district. Give me an answer. Now."

De Sade cleared his throat.

"There is a Templar cross on here, so I speculate the Templar Michel Menarde is the man you seek. He has been causing grief in this district for the past few weeks, and have been told he operates out of where your husband killed Roi des Thunes eight years ago. If you were to start looking, I would look there. The entrance to his lair was near the church."

Elise smiled, and nodded her head in approval.

"Thank you, Monsieur." Elise stated, and she began to walk out the door.

"Good Luck!" de Sade shouted, as Elise left the building.

* * *

Elise arrived at the abandoned, deserted church. Elise looked at the church, and she determined that it was abandoned during the Reign of Terror. She walked towards the back of the church, where she saw an entrance to a tomb being guarded by two Templar thugs, both of which she recognized were wearing the same uniform as the one oppressing the citizen. Elise hid behind a haystack, took a deep breath, and took a smoke bomb from her weapon belt. She lobbed it towards the two thugs. The two men got lost in the smoke as Elise ended their lives with two swipes of her hidden blade. Elise descended down the stairs, and found the hole that led down to the sewers.

"I'm coming for you, Menarde." Elise muttered to herself.

Elise meandered her way through the sewer tunnels, stealthily killing any Templar thugs that crossed her path. The smell of the sewer began to irritate Elise, and she began to think why one would make their headquarters down here. Elise climbed up a ladder, and quickly hid behind a pillar, and eavesdropped on the conversation between two Templars.

"These printing presses are quite the delight, as well as these posters." The first Templar stated, handing the second Templar a poster. "I love how quickly these posters get onto the streets."

"Good, good. These will hopefully bring that traitor to us. She was never a true Templar. That's why she scurried to her pathetic husband's cult of uncouth savages. Keep the posters printing. It will be soon that we have that wretch in our hands."

"What about that prisoner in the Grand Chatelet, Master Menarde?"

"That Assassin will rot from his wounds in the prison. He won't be of any matter. Those letters will be secured." Menarde stated.

_Menarde_ , Elise thought. She nodded her head, as she pulled out two throwing knives from her belt. She aimed at the first Templar, and with precision, placed the knife in the back of his neck. He fell onto the printing press, dead. Menarde quickly turned around, only to be greeted by a throwing knife from Elise. He fell to his knees, eyes rolled into his head, dead. Elise noticed that there was dynamite around the printing press. Elise pulled out and loaded her pistol. She aimed at the dynamite, and with one quick shot, destroyed the printing presses. Coming down the hall, Elise could hear footsteps. Realizing she had drawn a crowd with the explosion, Elise grabbed a smoke bomb, and tossed it in their direction. Lost and confused in the smoke, Elise made her escape as quickly as she had entered.

* * *

Elise entered the Assassin headquarters, which was lit up by banners and candles. Quemar, Beylier, Trenet, and Arno were sitting at a table, having a discussion about something she couldn't quite catch. Trenet looked up from the discussion and fixed her eyes on Elise. A grin was coming from Arno's face.

"Ah, Elise." Trenet started. "Did you find out about the ruckus that was caused in Cour Des Miracles?"

Beylier looked at Trenet with an odd look after she said the word _ruckus._

"Yes I did, ma'am." Elise replied. "The posters and ruckus was caused by a Templar who went by the name of Michel Menarde. I made sure he will not be causing the district grief anymore."

"Did you find any other information?" Quemar asked.

"Menarde spoke of an imprisoned Assassin at the Grand Chatelet, containing some letters." Elise replied to Quemar's question. "I have a feeling the imprisoned Assassin may have some letters pertaining to the poster production, and I was wondering if you would give me permission to investigate this lead."

The Assassins in the room exchanged looks with each other. Trenet looked back up at Elise.

"Very well Elise." Trenet stated. "The Council tasks you Assassin, to go to the Grand Chatelet prison, find the imprisoned Assassin, bring the letters to us, and report to us with your progress when you return."

Elise was about to leave when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Elise," Arno started, with a smile. "Good luck out there."

"Thank you, Arno." Elise said, with a smile, as she set out for the Grand Chatelet.

* * *

Elise arrived at the Grand Chatelet just before evening, as the sun was about to set. The prison may very well be a fortress, some would say. _Much like a castle_ , Elise thought. _Has to be another way in._ Elise then spied a couple of barrels. She leaped up onto the barrels and over the walls, not wanting to alert any sentry on patrol. She free ran across a few light hangers to get across to some caged windows, to which she climbed to get access into the prison itself. She followed some stairs and navigated her way through the second floor cells, until she stumbled upon the Assassin, asleep on the floor. Elise began to pick the lock with her hidden blade.

"Psst, I'm here to get you out." Elise began. The Assassin woke up and looked up at her.

"Are you now?" He asked her. "For what purpose?"

"You have letters I need." Elise replied. "Do you have them on you?"

The Assassin sifted through his pockets, and pulled out 5 letters. He then handed them to Elise through the door.

"There is a sixth letter." He stated. "It is located in the Hotel de Ville, in Robespierre's former office. I acquired those five before I was captured and sent here."

"Thank you." Elise responded, as she opened the door to the cell. "You may want to make yourself scarce, and see a doctor." The Assassin nodded his head, and rushed out the nearest window, and leaped into the darkness. Elise found the nearest window, but as she was about to leap, a guard ordered her to stop. Elise leaped downwards, and when the guard came to investigate, he found nothing but a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Elise returned to the Assassin headquarters later on in the evening. Arno approached Elise, while the rest of the Assassins looked up from what they were doing.

"Welcome back, Elise." Arno greeted her with a kiss. "Did you find those said letters?" Elise reached into her pocket and pulled out the letters. Beylier picked up the letters, and began to read them with delight.

"An interesting read" Beylier stated, as he handed the letters to Trenet. "It seems that the French Templars want to ruin your reputation for what you did with Arno all those years ago. It also speaks of a sixth letter. Where is this sixth letter?"

"It's in the Hotel de Ville." Elise replied. "In Robespierre's old office. It may hold the key as to why the French Templars are slandering my family's name. May I go and retrieve it?"

Quemar glanced up.

"The hotel is heavily guarded, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Elise nodded. "It won't be as guarded if I go at night." she stated. "I have seen so myself."

"I have heard all I have to hear." Trenet intervened. "I task you, Elise, to go find the sixth letter, and bring yourself the answers to your questions. Report back to us with your progress."

Elise nodded with approval. Arno sent her a nod of approval with a smile her way as she set out for the Hotel de Ville.

* * *

Elise arrived at the Hotel de Ville, shortly before moonrise. Upon arrival, Elise noticed that no one was really guarding the centuries old building. The last time she was at this building was with her husband when she was a Templar, putting Robespierre on the spot in the hunt for Germain. Elise, from the rooftop across the way, pinpointed which window was Robespierre's. After finding it, Elise descended down from the rooftops, Elise climbed up the Hotel's facade, and cracked open the window to the office.

_Now letter where are you?_ Elise thought to herself. Entering the office, it was like she had never left. Robespierre's blood still on the desk from the wound she inflicted on him, his poorly written rendition of the word _Temple_ , just as she as left it five years ago. Elise began navigating through the drawers, looking for the letter. In the last drawer, Elise found the letter and placed it into her pocket, but as soon as she did, several Templar thugs rushed the room and engaged Elise in combat. Elise pulled out her cutlass and engaged as well. Elise got the upper hand, killing several of her assailants with her cutlass and hidden blade, until one of the thugs had hit her on the wrist, disarming her. Elise screamed, and clutched her right wrist in pain. Forced to the ground and her cutlass nowhere in sight, Elise crawled to a corner of the room, fending off would be attackers with her hidden blade and feet. Then all of a sudden, Elise went black. The last thing she heard before blacking out was a commanding voice, which shouted

"Seize her at once!"

* * *

One of the men scooped up Elise's body, and placed it over his shoulder. Elise's arms dropped down.

"Are you sure she's the one we are after?" A guard, propping up Elise's head by her tattered red hair.

"She is indeed the one Master de Gaulle is after." The man carrying Elise replied, as they began to walk out of the Hotel de Ville. "Master de Gaulle has something special in store for this traitor."

"Do you have the letters you found on her?" The guard asked, as he placed a burlap sack over Elise's head.

"I do indeed, Monsieur." The man replied, as he readjusted Elise's body on his shoulder. "Master de Gaulle will be most pleased."

Both the man and his guard laughed, as the brought the unconscious Elise de la Serre to Louis de Gaulle for questioning.

* * *

Elise awoke, her vision obstructed by a burlap sack. Her hands were tied behind her back through a chair. She could hear voices, but she couldn't make out who's voice was who's.

"I found this letter on her, it was written by you, about the plans to slander her family, and what to do with her." A voice stated.

"Good, its back in our hands." Another voice said.

"It's a damn shame about the other five." a voice said, with concern.

"Take the sack off, it's time to talk!" One voice ordered.

The sack was ripped off Elise's head. She gasped for air, now that the sack was off of her head. Sitting with his legs crossed on the table and a tobacco pipe in his mouth was Louis de Gaulle. Elise recognized him by his beard and combed over brown hair. He had the same appearance from the trial that cast her from the Templar Order four years ago.

"Elise, Elise, Elise." de Gaulle said. "The once proud Templar, now a pathetic Assassin. Why did you join forces with our worst enemies?"

"Louis de Gaulle. I should have known it was you. You will never understand why I did what I did." Elise stated. "I sought unity between our orders. You always knew. Letters written by Haytham Kenway were my inspiration. Letters with a purpose. It seems that you and the Order were too preoccupied with other things."

de Gaulle got up from his chair and slapped Elise across the face. Elise spat blood out of her mouth. The Grand Master looked over her with authority, with his two goons restraining her, grinning with pleasure.

"To hell with Haytham Kenway! He was the weakest Grand Master of any Templar Order! He sought unity between orders? Just like your pathetic excuse of a father? There will never be such a thing! Peace with an enemy is called treason, girl! Did you not know that?" He roared.

"It would have brought the revolution to an end much sooner! More lives would have been saved! If only the Assassins and Templars could have resolved their differences..."

De Gaulle slapped Elise across the face again, opening up a cut on the side of her face. The Grand Master was delighted to see a cut open on Elise's face. Elise could feel the blood begin to fall down her cheek.

"When will you learn, girl?" De Gaulle shouted. "You committed treason the moment you formed an alliance with that parasite you call a husband! You will pay with your life, de la Serre! In honour for those who fell to your blade!" He rasped.

"Take her to the Temple prison. I can't wait to see her be hung from the Temple for everyone to see." He gestured them to take Elise away. The guards propped Elise up from the chair, and harshly grabbed her arms, escorting her out of the office. De Gaulle ran his hands through his brown hair, and then stroked his beard in thought. An idea came to him.

"Chadwick my boy! Come here!" De Gaulle yelled.

Within moments, Chadwick, his servant, rushed into the room.

"Take these flyers, and put them in every pub, market, and theatre you can." He stated, and pulled out the flyers. Chadwick nodded his head, and rushed out of the room.

"I want everyone to see me do the Templar Order some good."

* * *

Arno looked at the poster with a grim look. He read the poster to himself, then aloud.

"Execution: Witness a righteous death of a traitor to her order, as well as the extinction of her family at the Temple at daybreak."

Arno gulped as his eyes widened.

"Elise...merde!" he shouted. He quickly finished his coffee, grabbed his equipment and set out for the Temple.

By the time the rest of the Council members looked up, Arno was gone.

* * *

Elise woke up, inside her cell, weaponless, and only wearing a ragged white blouse and her black breeches. Her bare feet touched the cold stone floor. She had wondered how she had gotten into this mess. Elise could feel the throbbing pain in her face, from the slaps of de Gaulle. She was startled by the door of her cell opening, all of a sudden, two thugs came into her cell, with chains and a burlap sack.

"Time to get up, girl! Your time has come!" One thug growled.

"About fucking time." Elise spat back sarcastically.

He propped her up by her hair. Elise screamed in pain.

"He's going to have fun with you." The other thug added, as he chained Elise's wrists together. The same thug grabbed Elise by the hair, and licked the blood from Elise's wound. Elise winced as his tongue grazed her skin. The other thug placed the burlap sack over her head. Both thugs grabbed her arms, and pushed her forward to her death.

* * *

"Hello all! Hello all!" Louis de Gaulle shouted from the top of the Temple, the Grand Master's voice booming. "So kind of you all to join us on this beautiful morning." Two guards, each holding one of Elise's chained arms, with a burlap sack over her head.

"This morning, you will witness a grand spectacle" de Gaulle yelled. "A traitor to the great Templar Order, Elise de la Serre!" He pulled off the sack, revealing Elise's cut up and bloody face. The crowd roared with applause.

"She betrayed the Order she grew up in, only to betray us and join her husband's band of thugs and unjust murderers!" He shouted.

"We have captured her at last and will put her to death for the treason she has committed against us!"

Elise looked into the crowd, which was large and thunderous with applause. In the crowd, she spotted Arno, with a look of grave concern on his face. Elise returned a smile to him as if everything will be alright. Arno saw her smile, and began to make his way to an open window in the Temple.

"Any last words for you, de la Serre?" de Gaulle asked.

"You won't get away with this de Gaulle" Elise snarled in return.

De Gaulle let out a boisterous laugh but then snapped back to seriousness.

"Carry through with the execution, and I will be the one to end this whore's life." He muttered. The two guards gently shoved Elise forward, onto the plank. Elise was standing at the end, when de Gaulle joined her with a noose at hand. Elise let out a deep breath, as he placed the noose around her neck, and tightened it. Little did he know that everything was about to change.

Elise elbowed de Gaulle in the shoulder, removed the noose from her neck, and threw it around his neck. De Gaulle was struggling for air as Elise leapt off of the front of the plank, slowly choking him. He was making gestures to his guards to cut the rope. The guards began to cut the rope, by hacking away at it with their swords. Once they cut the rope, they broke the chain binding Elise's wrists. The last hack sent a dangling Elise several feet down, slamming her left arm on the corner of a haystack, and tumbling into the moat. Elise could feel her arm wound had reopened, and clutched her wound in pain. The only thing on her mind was to escape, and bring what she had learned to the Council. She climbed out of the moat and began to ascend the wall. Templar guards noticed her, and began to charge her. Elise quickly dropped a smoke bomb to lose her assailants. She then set her course for Cafe Theatre, but due to her open wound from the fall, Elise began to fade. The last sight she saw before blacking out was an Assassin wearing purple robes with gold trim trying to lend a helping hand.

* * *

Elise awoke several hours later, sitting in a chair, with her arm bandaged up.

"Your equipment is in your room, Elise." Sitting beside her was Arno, and the rest of the Assassins were entering the room.

"I snuck into the Temple and retrieved your equipment for you."

"Elise! Is everything alright?" Trenet asked, with concern in her voice.

"Yes," Elise replied between breaths. "Arno has the letter, you may read it."

Elise beckoned Arno to give Trenet the letter. Arno pulled the letter out of his pocket and handed it to Trenet. Trenet opened the letter, read through it, and put a hand to her mouth, as if something shocked her.

"These Templars are monsters! Vile, cruel, and heartless!" She said, with a now angry tone in her voice. Beylier calmed her down.

"Did you find the answers that you sought?" Beylier asked. Elise looked up and smiled.

"I did, yes." Elise replied. "Those letters stated what the French Templars, not the Parisian, were going to do to me because they believed I committed the crime of treason when I joined up with Arno eight years ago. All I sought was uniting the orders to end the revolution."

"They are the ones who need to be punished." Trenet gritted under her teeth, and left the room. Beylier and Quemar followed soon after, to analyze the letters.

Arno picked up Elise and carried her to his bed. They both got undressed in his room, and slid under the covers. Arno looked Elise square in the eyes, his gaze slowly melting her away.

"Elise, I never want you to leave me like that again." He said, as he kissed Elise square on the lips. They both caressed their heads and began to have a passionate moment together.

* * *

Elise wasn't sure how Arno was going to react to what she was going to tell him. She took a deep breath and began to advance toward him.

"Hello Arno, how are you doing right now?" Elise asked, with a nervous look on her face.

"Not too bad. I am just writing a letter to Napoleon, who happens to be in Egypt right now" Arno replied. "You look as if there is something you want to tell me?"

Elise blushed, and then held her hand up to Arno's chest and smiled.

"Arno," Elise smiled. "I'm pregnant with your child."

Arno's jaw and eyes opened wide, and then turned into a smile as he hugged Elise.

"I'm going to be a father!" Arno exclaimed, as he hugged Elise even tighter. Elise patted him on the back, with tears rolling down her eyes. Beylier, Trenet, and Quemar entered the room after hearing Arno shout.

"What's going on in here?" Trenet curiously asked.

"Elise is pregnant! I'M GOING TO BE A DAD!" Arno shouted, even louder than before.

"Congratulations!" Beylier replied happily.

Elise planted a kiss on Arno's lips, as Beylier, Trenet, and Quemar showed their gratitude for the conception of Elise and Arno's child.

* * *

*Nine Months Later*

On a quiet October night, the Master Assassins of the French Brotherhood gathered around the bedside of Elise de la Serre, Assassin and wife of Assassin Arno Dorian, as she was about to give birth. A nurse was at the foot of her bed. A blanket covered Elise up to her waist, where as she was wearing a fine black blouse. Elise let out a painful scream as she felt the child coming.

"Don't worry, love, everything is going to be all right. You're doing fine." Arno reassured his wife as he held her hand, rubbing it gently.

"You are doing a very good job, Elise. Keep pushing!" the nurse told Elise. Arno smiled with approval.

Elise let out a deep breath, and pushed with all her might, again letting out another agonizing scream.

"Good push, I can see the baby's head!" the nurse exclaimed. "It is half way out. One more push and it will be out!"

"You've only got one more push, Elise, and the baby will be out," Arno told Elise, rubbing her hand. "You can do it my love."

Elise looked at her husband, and then back down at the nurse. Elise then gave a hard push with all her might, followed by another painful scream, and then a heave of relief after passing the baby. Elise fell back onto her pillows, drenched in sweat.

"It is a boy!" the nurse exclaimed. "Father, would you be the one to cut the umbilical cord?"

Arno flashed an exuberant smile when the nurse asked him.

"I never thought you'd ask." Arno replied, as he approached the nurse and the newborn. Arno unsheathed his hidden blade, and with a swift upward motion, cut the umbilical cord. The newborn was crying as the nurse swaddled him with fresh white cloth, and handed him to Elise.

"We will leave you be." Quemar stated, as the other Assassins left the room. "Let us know if you need anything."

"For sure, Master Quemar." Arno replied, as he came back to Elise's bedside.

"He looks adorable." Arno told Elise, as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

"He looks just like you, Arno." Elise replied, as she began to breastfeed the newborn, who was sucking on her left nipple.

"It looks as if he has your hair color, Elise." Arno said, as he ran his hand gently over the newborn's head, ruffling his red hair. "What should we name him?"

Elise paused for a few moments.

"His name will be Francois Charles." Elise told Arno.

"Francois?" Arno inquired. "Francois was the name of your sworn enemy. Are you sure you want to name him Francois?"

Elise glared at Arno sternly.

"Are you forgetting that my father's name was Francois as well?" Elise replied. "He is named after both of our fathers."

Arno smiled with approval.

"My apologies, love. I love the name." Arno replied, as he placed his hand on Elise's shoulder, and watched his newborn son Francois Charles fall asleep in his mother's arms for the very first time.


	3. The Final Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At a Templar ball within the gates of Palais du Luxembourg, Elise finally gets her shot at Louis de Gaulle, the Templar Grand Master. Will she succeed in her mission?

Paris in the late 1790's was a period of change. Behind the curtains of the French Revolution, the Parisian Assassins and the French Templars waged their theatre of war. For nine months, the Assassins were tracking down the location of Louis de Gaulle, the Grand Master of the French Templars, much to no success. Their only lead on the Grand Master was that he was in the City of Paris. Shortly after giving birth to her son Francois, Master Assassin Elise de la Serre was asked by the Assassin Council to track down de Gaulle, as she had an encounter with him in the past, and bring him to an end...

* * *

Master Assassin Elise de la Serre was sitting in the main chamber of the Assassin headquarters, with her nanny Helene at her side. The headquarters were dimly lit, only by candles and a chandelier on the ceiling. Cradled in her arms was her one month old son, Francois Charles, who was named after Arno and Elise's fallen fathers. Elise tickled Francois' stomach, and the infant gave a little yelp of pleasure, only to immediately start crying.

"Hush, hush." Elise began, as she began to unbutton her shirt. "Dinner time it is, my little man."

Elise held Francois up to her right breast, and he began to suck on her nipple, when Arno walked into the chamber, with a semi smile on his face. When he looked at Elise, his smile grew.

"Elise, my love. Am I interrupting you and Francois?" Arno asked politely.

Elise looked up at Arno, and then back down to Francois.

"No, Arno. You aren't." Elise replied, with a smile. She beckoned Arno over, finished buttoning up her shirt, and handed Francois to Arno, who rocked him in his hands.

"He looks just like you, Arno." Elise said, as she put her hand on Arno's knee. Arno looked up at her, and shot her a graceful smile.

"He's got your hair colour." Arno replied humorously, as he continued to rock Francois in his hands.

"You came in here as if you wanted to talk to me. What is it you'd like to ask, honey?" Elise asked.

"Elise, we believe we have a potential lead on Louis de Gaulle, the French Templar Grand Master." Arno stated. Elise's eyes widened with shock as Arno said those words.

"Where is he at?" Elise asked eagerly.

"The Council will fill you in on his whereabouts." Arno returned, handing her Francois. "Grab your equipment, Elise, and I will meet you down in the main chamber. See you then."

Elise got up out of her chair, kissed Francois, handed him to Helene, and walked to her chambers. She picked up her cutlass, and placed it in her scabbard. She then picked up her phantom blade, and placed it on her right wrist. Elise picked up her hidden blade bracer, and slid it on her left forearm. She flicked the blade in and out, and walked down to the Assassin Council Chambers.

* * *

Elise entered the Assassin Council Chambers. Elise noticed that it was poorly lit, only being lit by a few candles. The Assassin Council, consisting of Master Assassins Sophie Trenet, Herve Quemar, and Guillaume Beylier, along with her husband, Arno, were gathered around the table, looking at plans of some sort. Beylier looked up and smiled at Elise.

"Hello Elise." Beylier greeted her. "I assume you are here to find out about Louis de Gaulle?"

Elise nodded her head, and flashed a half smile.

"Well, we may have him." Trenet added. "He will be attending a Templar ball here in the city in a couple night's time. The only bad thing is, how we are going to get into the ball? It's at the Palais du Luxembourg."

All of the Assassins shot each other looks of confusion.

"The Palais du Luxembourg is going to be heavily guarded by their top guards." Quemar stated, raising his arms in confusion. "A direct entry is only going to result in death. What is it we are going to do? It is hopeless."

Arno pointed at a flyer on the table and examined it briefly.

"On a flyer, it says you need an invitation to get in." Arno stated. "If we take out two Templars, and steal their guises, we may have a way into the ball."

Elise nodded her head in approval.

"Very well." Trenet replied. "Who do you have in mind?"

Arno beckoned Elise to show Trenet the two drawings of the Templars. Elise pulled them out of her pocket and placed them on the table.

"Pierre Sivert and Mirabelle Levesque" Arno responded. "De Gaulle's eyes and ears over Paris and Franciade. We take their lives along with their guises, and we will have access to the ball, past the guards."

Trenet looked up after viewing the portraits and quickly made up her mind.

"I task you, Assassins, to bring Sivert and Levesque to an end, and acquire their invitations." Trenet stated. Elise and Arno nodded their heads in respect, and left the Council chambers.

Elise and Arno met in her quarters, discussing on how they were going to assassinate Sivert and Levesque.

"I gained some information from an associate earlier today in the Cafe that they are to be together tonight." Elise stated, while she was holding Francois. "We have our opportunity."

"Very well." Arno replied. "Did your associate give you a location?"

Elise looked up from Francois, straight to Arno.

"The Hotel de Ville courtyard." Elise stated. "They are staying there for the night before they head to the ball tomorrow."

Elise placed Francois in his crib, just as Helene entered the room to gently rock his crib. Arno looked down to Francois, and then looked back up to Elise.

"If we leave as soon as we are able, we can pick them off before they even enter the building." Arno replied. "We have to be precise and careful, and may have to take them out from the roof. I trust you are careful, my love?"

Elise and Arno began to walk out of her quarters, and up towards Cafe Theatre. Elise flicked out her hidden blades, and flicked them back in.

"When am I not careful?" Elise said with a smile, as the couple walked out of Cafe Theatre into the sunlight and set off for the Hotel de Ville.

* * *

Elise and Arno approached the Hotel de Ville just before the evening. The sky gave off a delightful vibe as the sun began to set into the west. The couple climbed up the west face of the building, with Arno making it up to the top first. Elise followed him up a little later, with Arno helping his wife up onto the roof. The two Assassins walked towards the end of the roof, to get a better view of their surroundings. Elise spied the couple in the middle of the courtyard. Pierre and Mirabelle began to walk towards the back entrance of the building. Elise and Arno ducked their heads, and waited for them to get closer.

"Get a smoke bomb ready, Elise." Arno whispered to Elise, as he pulled a smoke bomb from her belt. "That way, we will blind them and their accompanying guards."

Elise nodded her head, and pulled a smoke bomb off of her belt.

"Wait!" Arno whispered. "A smoke bomb would cause too much attention. Let's distract them instead." Arno pointed to Elise's Phantom Blade. Elise nodded her head with approval, and smiled.

Elise and Arno loaded their Phantom Blades, and aimed their Phantom Blades just past Pierre and Mirabelle. The Phantom Blade bolts whizzed past them. Pierre and Mirabelle turned around to investigate the sudden disturbance. As soon as the couple exited the building, Elise and Arno struck from above, killing Pierre and Mirabelle with swift blows from their hidden blades. The crowd around them began to scatter. Elise and Arno scoured the bodies for the invitations. Upon finding them, guards caught wind of the crowd scattering and began to investigate. Elise and Arno grabbed a smoke bomb each and lobbed it towards the guards, and left as if they were never there.

* * *

Upon Elise and Arno's arrival at the Assassin Headquarters, Sophie Trenet greeted them with a smile.

"Hello Assassins," she began, organizing the documents on the table. "Were you successful in eliminating Pierre and Mirabelle?"

"Yes, it was successful." Elise replied, placing the invitations on the table. Quemar picked them up and read over them.

"Well done." He stated. "How do you plan on getting in?"

"The plan was to meet with the owner of their carriage, and use it to get into the ball." Arno replied.

Trenet nodded her head, and then looked back down at the invitations.

"Do you know where their carriage would be?" She asked.

"On the invitation it says it will be at the Louvre." Elise replied. "It will take us to the Luxembourg Palace from there."

Beylier nodded his head with approval.

"Don't forget that it is a formal ball." He said.

Arno and Elise shot each other looks.

"I guess you will have to get the dress from ten years ago out of your closet again." Arno told Elise, with a little bit of a snicker. "Does it still fit you?"

Elise glared at Arno, only to return a smile.

"Does this mean you will have to wear one of my father's suits again?" She replied, in return with a chuckle. Arno nodded his head indicating yes, before leaving the room to get changed. Elise went back to her quarters to look for the dress in her closet. After a few moments of searching, Elise found her dress. The orange, black, and white dress she wore at her Templar initiation all those years ago. Elise slipped into her gown and placed her robes, equipment, and hidden blade in a burlap bag, and went out to find Arno, who had done the same. Together, they set out for the Louvre.

* * *

Elise and Arno arrived at the Louvre just before evening with ominous looking storm clouds peering into the horizon. They waited for the driver of their carriage to call their Templar names out.

"Pierre Sivert and Mirabelle Levesque, your carriage is here!" The driver called out.

Elise and Arno pushed forward, and hopped in the back of the carriage, with Arno closing the door. The carriage began to roll along the dirt road, navigating its way through the crowds of people. Upon its arrival at the palace, the guard at the gate stopped the carriage, and asked for the invitations. Elise and Arno handed their invitations to the guard.

"Pierre Sivert and Mirabelle Levesque. You may enter. Have a good time." He muttered, loud enough for Elise to hear. Arno nodded his head in approval, as they were let into the ball.

"Alright, here is the plan." Arno began, as he left the carriage. "You dance with someone here, and see if you can extract de Gaulle's location from him. I will meander my way upstairs into the room where Mr. Levesque was held seven years ago. Meet me there, and I will be there waiting for you with your equipment. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like a plan, Pierre." Elise stated, calling Arno by his fake Templar name. "What will you do, though?"

"Me? I will make sure no guards will follow. I will converse with them, long enough for you to get to de Gaulle, wherever he may be." He replied.

Elise nodded her head, as they entered the Louvre, disguised as two high ranking Templars.

Arno and Elise walked into the palace, and observed the area. Elise saw Arno walk off with the two sacks containing their equipment, while she walked into the dance floor where she heard a voice.

"Milady, may I have this dance?" The male voice asked, as he grabbed Elise's hand gently. Elise began the dance.

"My name is Thomas de Mort, Master Templar of the French Rite." he began. "What is yours?"

"My name is Mirabelle Levesque." Elise replied, continuing the dance.

"Ah, how could I forget about your luscious red hair." He stated. "Did you hear about our British friend, Peter Carroll?"

"No I didn't." Elise replied. Hearing the name Peter Carroll made her blood boil.

"He was struck down in his own mansion by that wretched Assassin, Elise de la Serre."

Elise gasped.

"No! That can't be! Does the Grand Master know? Where is he?" Elise said, sounding shocked. "I must inform him about this tragedy."

"He does not." De Mort stated. "He is on the roof for some strange reason. You may find him up there, Mirabelle."

"Thank you." Elise nodded, acknowledging him. "I must leave our dance to inform him."

De Mort nodded his head in approval, and went to search for a new partner. Elise lifted the skirt of her dress and speed walked up the stairs. She walked past an open doorway, only for a hand to reach out and grab her. Elise turned around to find Arno smiling. She returned a smile to him. He then shut the door.

"Did you find de Gaulle's location?" Arno asked.

"He is up on the roof, is what I found out." Elise replied. "I will find him up there."

"Here is your equipment. I won't look at you change, I promise." Arno stated. Elise quickly slipped out of her dress and put on her Assassin robes, put her Phantom Blade on her right wrist, and slid her hidden blade bracer on her left wrist. She then flicked out her hidden blade, only to flick it back in.

"Much better." Elise muttered to herself.

"Go, Elise. Bring de Gaulle to justice, I will distract the guards." Arno told Elise, as he picked up a violin, and fiddled around with it. Elise chuckled upon seeing the violin, nodded her head, and made for the nearest open window.

After acquiring her robes and weaponry from Arno, who set off to find some guards to divert, Elise found the nearest open window, hoping to find de Gaulle on the roof. She wondered why one would take solace outside on a roof in the rain. Elise hopped onto the bottom of the window sill, jumped up to grab the top of the window sill, and began the climb up to the roof. Elise made sure to grab every ledge with care, as it was raining and she did not want to slip.

Elise made it up to the roof, the rain pounding down, making her hair wet. Through the hard rain, Elise spied a hooded figure looking out to the north, with its back turned to her. Elise identified the brown robed figure as Louis de Gaulle, and pulled out her pistol.

"Louis de Gaulle!" Elise shouted. "It ends now!"

De Gaulle turned around, to meet her furious stare.

"Ah, if it isn't the little parasite." He greeted, with a snide tone in his voice. "What brings you up to the rooftops here in the rain? Shouldn't you be enjoying the ball, Miss Levesque?"

"I could very well ask you the same question, 'Grand Master'." Elise retorted. "What are you doing up here?"

De Gaulle laughed.

"He calls to me, girl. He encourages me to do well for the Templar Order!"

"Who calls?" Elise asked, with confusion in her voice.

"Germain calls to me, girl!" De Gaulle roared. "During the Revolution, he was doing wonders! What the Parisian Templars should have done! I watched from afar and I loved it, until you and your worm of a husband stuck your large noses in it!"

"Germain was a monster!" Elise yelled. "He sought to manipulate the people through fear! Something my father or myself would never do! I sought unity with the Assassins, it would have ended the revolution and Germain's rule sooner!"

"Germain killed you." de Gaulle roared. "You died five years ago! You shouldn't have survived the altercation with Germain at the Temple! You should be rotting in the ground, serving as food for the worms!"

"I should have, but I didn't." Elise roared back. "Two Templars died that fateful night, but it also gave birth to an Assassin, and you are looking right at her!"

De Gaulle pulled out his cutlass, and snickered at Elise.

"I must fulfill Germain's work. Prepare for death, Elise de la Serre. In the name of Germain and the great Jacques de Molay, you won't go home to your son tonight."

Elise responded by pulling out her cutlass, and approaching de Gaulle.

"Your end has come, Grand Master. Your life and rule will fall to my blade."

Elise and de Gaulle pressed their foreheads against each other, and locked eyes before the pushed away and clashed cutlasses in the rain. De Gaulle got the upper hand when he shoved Elise to the ground. Elise quickly got back up, exchanging blows with their cutlasses. Elise pushed de Gaulle backwards, with him landing on his backside, losing his cutlass in the process. The Grand Master began to reach for his cutlass with his right hand, only for Elise to shoot a bolt from her Phantom Blade into his wrist. He looked up at her, only to begin breathing heavy and slowly pull the bolt out of his wrist, with a sadistic smile across his returned a look of horror towards him, as he threw the bloody blade at her, which she caught and placed in her bolt pouch. He grabbed his cutlass with his injured hand, and charged at Elise. Elise parried his five blows, and on his sixth blow, Elise struck. Elise lifted the cutlass out of de Gaulle's injured hand, pushed it aside, and sunk her hidden blade into his right jugular. Blood sprayed from his wound, some landing on Elise. De Gaulle began to choke on his own blood, and continued swinging his sword at Elise. Elise dodged his failing attacks, only to slip on a loose shingle, and fall down the roof. Elise tried to maintain her grip as she neared the end of the slanted roof, only to fail. She fell of the slanted roof, slammed on to a jutted out window sill, and landed in a haystack not too far away from the building.

Elise clutched her ribs in pain, feeling them to see if she broke any on her fall. Elise again grimaced in pain, but she realized she had dealt a huge blow to the French Templars before she passed out from the pain she was in.

* * *

Elise awoke early in the morning, to hear someone digging through the hay. Elise activated her hidden blade to engage her would be assailant.

"Elise, is that you..." a voice asked before Elise sprung out of the hay, only to clutch her ribs in pain. She looked up to see her husband, Arno, wearing a large smile on his face.

"I guess I got my question answered, then." He stated.

Elise looked at what Arno was wearing, and chuckled to herself.

"Still wearing my father's suit?" Elise asked, between laughs. "You look ridiculous."

Arno looked down at his suit, brushing some hay off of his shoulders.

"Look at your hair, love." He said with a smile, taking pieces of hay out of her hair. "You look silly yourself, too."

Arno helped Elise out of the haystack, and placed her left arm over his shoulders.

"You should get your ribs checked out, Elise." Arno asked, sounding concerned.

Elise looked back at Arno, and then looked back down her stomach.

"Perhaps that may be a good idea." Elise responded, with a pained smile.

"Sounds good with me." Arno replied. "I will call for a doctor once we get back to our headquarters." Arno swept Elise off her feet unexpectedly, and landed straight in his arms. Elise gave him a kiss on the cheek as he carried her back to Cafe Theatre.

* * *

Elise was sitting on the couch in the main hall of the headquarters, with her hands over her breasts as the doctor bandaged her injured ribs. Arno came into the room, and sat beside her.

"Did the doctor find out what happened to your ribs?" Arno asked, with a tinge of concern in his voice.

Elise looked up at Arno as the doctor finished bandaging her up.

"I have a couple of bruised ribs on my right side." Elise answered. "The doctor says I should lay in bed for a few days to alleviate the pain."

Elise put on her shirt over her bandages, and Arno helped her up off the couch, and led her to her quarters, where she got comfortable in her bed.

"Let me know if you need anything, my love." He said, as he was leaving her room. Elise nodded, and began to drift off to sleep.

The next day, Beylier and Arno walked into Elise's room, with Beylier looking as if he wanted to ask a question.

"Hello, Elise." Beylier began. "Were you successful in eliminating de Gaulle?"

Elise looked up at Beylier, and flashed him a smile.

"Yes, Guillaume." Elise replied, happily. "He is no more. The French Templars will no longer slander me, or my family's name."

"That is excellent news to hear, Elise." Beylier stated, as he left the room.

"Ah, before I forget." Arno remembered.

"This came for you during the ball last night. Beylier told me to give this to you." He handed Elise a letter. Arno left the room. Elise opened the letter, and began to read the fine handwriting.

_Dear Madame de la Serre_

_Ms. Jennifer Scott wishes for you to come to her mansion in London to discuss an important matter. Bring yourself as soon as you are able._

_Sincerely, L.F_

* * *

1 year later*

The ship carrying the Master Assassin Elise de la Serre and her one year old son Francois Charles docked in the beautiful city of London, England. Elise and Francois departed their ship, to meet up with Leonard Frye, who was waiting on the docks for her.

Draped across his face was a large smile.

"Elise! It is so good to see you again!" Leonard greeted, giving Elise a hug. "Who's the little man here?"

"This is Francois, my son." Elise replied. "Francois, say hello to Leonard." Francois proceeded to bury his face into Elise's shoulder.

"He is a little shy." Elise stated. Leonard let out a little laugh, as he showed them the way to the carriage. Elise, Francois, and Leonard hopped in the back of the carriage, with Leonard telling the driver to go to the Kenway Mansion.

"What is this matter that Ms. Scott would like to talk about?" Elise asked Leonard.

"It's a secret matter." Leonard stated. "She just told me to write to you that she requires your presence to discuss it." The carriage came to a stop in front of the large mansion.

"We are here!" The driver exclaimed. Elise, Francois, and Leonard got out of the back, and stood on the sidewalk.

"Before I go, I want to give you these documents I found when I was in Egypt." Elise told Leonard, as she handed them to him. "They belonged to Bayek of Siwa, the man who founded the Assassin Brotherhood." Leonard tried to read them, but to no avail.

"These are written in Demotic, Elise." Leonard said, looking confused. "I do have a friend who is working on translating Demotic. I will bring them to him so he may observe them."

"Thank you so much, Leonard." Elise replied. "I knew I could always count on you to help me out."

"May your discussion go well, Elise." Leonard stated, with the documents in hand. "I have other business to attend here in the district. I will get these documents to my friend, Thomas, and back to you when I am able. That much I promise." Elise nodded her head as Leonard walked off. Elise, with Francois in hand, walked up to the door of the mansion, and knocked. Scott's butler answered the door.

"And you are?" He asked, out of curiosity.

"I am Elise de la Serre, and this is my son, Francois. I am here to discuss a matter with Ms. Jennifer Scott."

"Very well, madam." the butler stated. "She will be in the room with the door second from the right. Second floor, left hand side. She'll be expecting you."

Elise nodded her head with approval. Elise began to make her way up the stairs, and found the room, with Jennifer Scott sitting inside.

"Hello, Elise." Jennifer greeted. "It has been quite some time since you have visited. When I last saw you, you were a Templar, but now have followed in the steps of my father. Why?"

"Hello, Ms. Scott." Elise replied to her greeting. "The reason I wear these robes is because my former Templar brethren considered Haytham's views on unity between Templar and Assassin treasonous, and they banished me from their order. Arno, my husband, took me under his wings and trained me into who I am today."

"They fail to understand." Jennifer replied, her voice cackling. "First the Carrolls, and then France. Damn fools, they are."

"They never will." Elise responded. "Now, Ms. Scott, if I may ask, why did you send for me?"

Jennifer looked up at Elise.

"I discovered a letter written in 1729 by my father, which details his discovery of a message bearing your initials in the Temple of Pythagoras." Jennifer replied.

Jennifer handed Elise the letter, to which Elise tucked into her pocket.

"You believe that message is for me?" Elise asked Jennifer, with hesitation.

"I firmly believe it's you, Elise." she answered. "Which is why I am giving you this."

Jennifer pulled out a sword that belonged to Edward Kenway, and handed it to Elise. Elise's mouth opened in shock as Jennifer handed her Kenway's sword.

"Thank you!" Elise exclaimed. She stood up and fit Edward's sword in her scabbard.

"I also acquired a letter from my nephew, Connor, some weeks ago, as he wishes to meet with you and your husband on his homestead to better strengthen ties between your brotherhoods."

Jennifer handed another letter to Elise, to which she placed into her pocket, right next to the first.

"Who is the little one?" Jennifer asked, upon catching sight of Francois, sitting on the floor, looking at a model of Edward Kenway's ship, the Jackdaw.

Elise scooped up Francois, and held him in her arms.

"This is Francois, my son." Elise said with a smile, and kissed him. "Do you want to say hello to Ms. Jennifer Scott?"

Francois buried his face in Elise's shoulder, not wanting anything to do with Jennifer Scott.

"He is an adorable young man," Jennifer stated. "Will you train him down your path when he grows up?"

Elise glanced at Francois, and then looked back at Jennifer.

"Yes, Arno and myself plan to train him in our ways when he grows up." Elise replied to Jennifer's question.

Jennifer nodded her head in approval at Elise's response.

"He will do good in life." Jennifer stated, with confidence. "Much like yourself, young lady."

Elise and Francois gave Jennifer a hug as a carriage pulled up in front of the mansion.

"Thank you for everything, Ms. Scott." Elise replied. "I will write to you when Arno and myself meet with Connor. That much I promise."

Elise and Francois got into the back of the carriage, and waved to Jennifer as the carriage began to gallop away. Jennifer flashed a smile of approval as Elise's carriage vanished off into the horizon.


End file.
